Cruise Talk: QE2 World Cruise

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Topic: QE2 World Cruise

vikingcrown
First Class Passenger
Member # 3437

posted 12-22-2002 07:23 PM

I am contemplating a QE2 world cruise. I have some answers and it would be great if someone would answer them:
1. I saw a World Cruise video from 1982. The service, food, and entertainment looked amazing. Can I expect the same caliber today?
2. When we dock in South Africa, will Cunard offer a safari excursion? They did on the 1982 video.
3. On the video, Cunard showed many celebrities, jounalists, and local entertainers aboard the ship giving shows and lectures. Can that be expected?
4. On the 1982 video, off-order menu was widely encouraged in all dining rooms. How has the policy changed?

If you have a world cruise experience, especially a negative one, I would gladly hear it.

Thank You

[ 12-22-2002: Message edited by: vikingcrown ]

Posts: 341 | From: California | Registered: Oct 2002 | IP: Logged

colt
First Class Passenger
Member # 1215

posted 12-23-2002 01:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by vikingcrown:
I am contemplating a QE2 world cruise. I have some answers and it would be great if someone would answer them:
1. I saw a World Cruise video from 1982. The service, food, and entertainment looked amazing. Can I expect the same caliber today?
2. When we dock in South Africa, will Cunard offer a safari excursion? They did on the 1982 video.
3. On the video, Cunard showed many celebrities, jounalists, and local entertainers aboard the ship giving shows and lectures. Can that be expected?
4. On the 1982 video, off-order menu was widely encouraged in all dining rooms. How has the policy changed?
If you have a world cruise experience, especially a negative one, I would gladly hear it.
Thank You
[ 12-22-2002: Message edited by: vikingcrown ]

I would think that if you either went to the Cunard website, called Cunard directly or contacted a travel agent (don't forget that this discussion board is hosted by a travel agency), that you could gather the answers to some of your questions regarding shore excursions while in Capetown, as well as what entertainers were planned to be aboard. I would think that the latter depends on what segment of the world cruise you are taking, if not in its entirety.

Also, there are a number of avid Cunard cruisers who participate in this forum, and hopefully they will respond.

I have heard some discussion somewhere about people getting antsy after about 3 weeks onboard the QE2's world cruise, but have no first hand knowledge; altho, i would like to give it a try someday.

Posts: 293 | From: Lisbon, Maryland, USA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

PC
First Class Passenger
Member # 1191

posted 12-23-2002 11:40 PM

I will try to answer your questions.
1. You can see from many reviews on this board as well as others that opinions about QE 2 vary widely. Some, like myself, love the ship. There are some ladies who take the full 108 day world cruise every year, and have done so 25 years, 18 years, so on. Those who like ballroom dancing, or paddle tennis, I see every year and I have been for various segments of about 2 weeks for 5 years. And there are those who call the QE 2 the rust bucket, think the food in Mauretania Rest just garbage, and think the decor outdated, etc. I don't know what QE 2 was like in 1982, but I would guess the service, quality, etc., must have deteriorated since then. Each year there are slight drops in service; for example, in 1999, the scones in aft tea came separate from cream and jam; now the scones have jam and cream already inside; meaning less work for waiters/waitresses to serve. I would guess in 1982, there were few East Europeans/Russians working on board; now there are many - this could be viewed as a plus or minus, as the Russian/E Europe women are just beautiful and sexy, but mostly untouchable.
2. I am sure a safari would be offered as a shore excursion in South Africa. I'm waiting for the 2003 excursion booklet, and will post later. But I have never taken a QE 2 shore excursion, so I cannot comment on quality.
3. As for lecturers and entertainers, you can expect top quality, but maybe not world class famous. In 2001, Judith McNaught, a novelist who has sold 22 million copies of her various romance novels, lectured on board. I heard her in person, and was impressed with her. Others who lectured on destinations, etc., I have not heard in person, but watched a bit on replay on TV, and they seemed OK.
4. Our waiter in 2001 Pyotr in Mauretania Rest said working as service staff, QE 2 is like Rolls Royce, while other ships he has worked on may only be Mercedes or lesser marks. You can order anything you wish, and if kitchen can prepare it, they will - according to this Pyotr. For dessert, I always order ice cream and berries, and waiters always get it for me. If I don't like the entres, I would order sirloin steak, and it usually comes. But I find the food in Caronia/Mauretania Rests more than adequate and satisfying for my tastes, and I can usually find something I would eat off the menu. I have not eaten in the grills, but menus are same across all the QE2 restaurants. More personal service, table cooking, etc., at grills, but the Mauretania restaurant is the most lively. The grills must be deadly stuffy.

I go for the ballroom dancing, best in industry afloat, music, and paddle tennis. Won't even consider any other ship - and I've been on Crystal Harmony, Royal Princess, and many years ago (1958) on the Vietnam, and on two cargo ships with pax compartments in 1960 - the City of Columbo, and a US President Lines ship whose name I can't remember.

Posts: 102 | From: Hong Kong, SAR | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

vikingcrown
First Class Passenger
Member # 3437

posted 12-24-2002 12:41 AM

Is a full-length world cruise worth the fare?

[ 12-24-2002: Message edited by: vikingcrown ]

Posts: 341 | From: California | Registered: Oct 2002 | IP: Logged

Elizabeth
First Class Passenger
Member # 142

posted 12-25-2002 01:52 AM

I fully concur with PC's answers to your questions. We have not travelled to Africa on the QE2, but I would be very surprised if they did not offer a safari shore excursion. We have only taken one shore excusrion while on the QE2. Generally we just get a taxi as we find that they will take you on the same excursion at a fraction of the price and you can linger at places that interest you.

We love the QE2 and are booked on another leg of the World Cruise this year.

Posts: 177 | From: New England Region N.S.W. Australia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

PC
First Class Passenger
Member # 1191

posted 12-25-2002 04:44 AM

vikingcrown, the ppl who go on the full length 108 days world cruise span the range from the Canadian who books 3 Queen's suites each year (one suite for him, one for the wife, and one for friends he invites along the way) to a widower who pays only about US$15,000 for an inside room on a share-a-room basis, but because she's been 15 years, Cunard never puts another person into her room. In between are those who book the P, B, C, and M rooms of all diff grades, and all think the full length world cruise is worth it for them at their price level. So maybe somewhere in the price range between $15k (for one) and half a mil (for 3) is the price where one can say, it's worth it to take the full length world cruise on the QE 2. Will you enjoy the room and food at that price? That's a diff question, and to answer that, I think you need to try out the QE2 on a shorter segment and see for yourself. But it's a great experience.

Posts: 102 | From: Hong Kong, SAR | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

PC
First Class Passenger
Member # 1191

posted 12-31-2002 09:03 PM

vikingcrown, the QE2 2003 Shore excursion booklet lists 3 tours in Mombasa, Kenya that have the term "safari" in the name or trip description, going in price from $159 per person for a 11 hr Tsavo East safari to a 1 night Maasai Mara by air safari for $839 per person.

In South Africa, Durban and Capetown, there are six safari type tours, price from $95 for a 8.5 hour game reserve tour to a 2 night safari adventure to Londolozi tour for $2975 per person.

Posts: 102 | From: Hong Kong, SAR | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

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